Who We Are

Our Mission:  

Uniting people and resources to improve lives and strengthen communities in southwest Minnesota.

What We Fight For:

United Way fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community.  In southwest Minnesota, we focus on health, education, financial stability, hunger and safety & well-being.

Who We Fight For:

We serve people living in Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Yellow Medicine and portions of Cottonwood, Lac qui Parle, Nobles and Redwood counties in Minnesota.  

Our service area includes the following Minnesota school districts:  Canby, Dawson/Boyd, Echo, Fulda, Hendricks, Ivanhoe, Lake Benton, Lakeview, Lynd, Marshall, Milroy, Minneota, Murray County Central, Russell-Tyler-Ruthton, Tracy Area, Westbrook-Walnut Grove and Yellow Medicine East.  

For a full listing of towns and zip codes that are within our service area, please click here.

United Way Internal Initiatives/Programs:

United Way of Southwest Minnesota (UWSWMN) manages several internal programs aimed at ensuring children enter school developmentally on track in literacy, social, emotional and cognitive skills and that students, K-12, have the tools needed to succeed and thrive. Each program is available free of charge because the cost of each of these programs is covered by donations to UWSWMN, through partnerships with other organizations and/or grant funding. We serve 23 public, private and charter schools across southwest Minnesota.  For a full listing of those programs currently being offered, click here.

Community Investments:

As noted above, here in southwest Minnesota we focus on health, education, financial stability, hunger and safety & well-being. United Way of Southwest Minnesota  is investing 2021 campaign funds in initiatives, community partner programs and partnerships serving over 35,000 local people.

Our 2021 campaign ended on January 31, 2022 with us raising $499,000.  All funds raised are being re-invested in local programs to benefit local people. Community investment volunteers from throughout our service area reviewed local grant requests and made funding recommendations to our local board of directors to be certain that your donation makes the most impact. Contributions to your local United Way improve lives right here where you live. Your donation will go far…but not far away.  To learn more, click here.

Diversity and Inclusion:

United Way of Southwest Minnesota strives to be a model of diversity and inclusion.  Our board, staff and volunteers reflect the many faces, cultures and walks of life that make up the communities we serve.

We respect, value and celebrate the unique attributes, characteristics and perspectives that make each person who they are.  We also believe that bringing diverse individuals together allows us to collectively and more effectively address the issues that face our communities.  it is our aim, therefore, that our community partner programs, strategies and community investments reflect these core values.

United Way of Southwest Minnesota takes a broad view of diversity, going beyond visible differences to affirm all individuals including the realities, backgrounds, experiences, skills and perspectives that make each person who they are.  Engaging the diverse talent and partners results in innovative solutions and the community ownership necessary to address complex issues so that we can, collectively and effectively, create opportunities for a better life for all.  

Diversity and inclusion are at the heart of what it means to LIVE UNITED.  We value EVERY PERSON in EVERY COMMUNITY!

For more DEI information and resources click here